Jiang Shiyue, having arrived in town, didn't call home right away. After all, it was likely no one would be home at this hour.
If she called a work unit, she could only reach her mother, Ruan Qiuhua.
So, Jiang Shiyue first made a trip to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative and then to the Department Store to see what kinds of things were sold in this era.
Perhaps it was due to the long-term education Ms. Shi had given her, but even though the Jiang family of this era wasn't short on money, she had no intention of being a freeloader.
Knowing that becoming a doctor in this era was no easy feat, she didn't consider returning to her old profession.
But since she had a Golden Finger, she definitely had to make use of it and see if she could start some kind of business.
In the original novel, because of the original owner's outrageous actions, the first thing Liang Zeyuan did after returning to the city was to deal with the Jiang family.
In the end, her father, Jiang Boyan, was wrongfully imprisoned; her older brother, Jiang Sheng, got into a car accident and became a vegetable; and her mother, Ruan Qiuhua, unable to bear the blow, committed suicide.
So, even though she had transmigrated here now, she had to take precautions, fearing the Jiang family would fall into disaster because of her.
Although she didn't like Liang Zeyuan now and had deviated from the original track by marrying Gu Yian, Liang Zeyuan was still the male lead, possessing a protagonist's halo. Who knew if unexpected complications would arise?
Moreover, she and Gu Yian had only held a wedding banquet; they hadn't obtained a marriage certificate, so their union was not legally protected at all.
This was one of the reasons she wanted to call home.
To get a marriage certificate in this era, a Letter of Introduction was required.
Rather than counting on Lin Changsheng, it was better to count on Jiang Boyan.
Because of Lin Wan'er, Lin Changsheng had never liked the original owner. If not for the fact that the original owner had money, she probably would have been driven out of the village by Lin Changsheng long ago.
Although Lin Changsheng looked down on a weak scholar like Liang Zeyuan, who couldn't carry heavy loads or do manual labor, his daughter, Lin Wan'er, unfortunately, liked him.
Lin Changsheng only had one daughter, Lin Wan'er, and naturally doted on her as the apple of his eye. So, even if he disliked Liang Zeyuan, he reluctantly accepted him for Lin Wan'er's sake.
He certainly wouldn't like her, this young lady from a wealthy family who was constantly pestering his future son-in-law.
After wandering around town, Jiang Shiyue finally knew what kind of business she wanted to do when she saw the so-called Black Market.
The fabrics of this era were not only coarse but also came in very few colors. If she were to sell modern fabrics at the Black Market, the results would probably be quite good.
One had to know that modern fabrics were dazzlingly diverse, and their quality was countless times better than those of the 1970s.
After making up her mind, Jiang Shiyue finally went to call Ruan Qiuhua.
However, the person who answered the phone was not Ruan Qiuhua, but a dedicated operator. "Hello, I'm Jiang Shiyue. Could you please find Dr. Ruan for me?"
"Please wait a moment."
Nearly ten minutes passed before the phone was picked up again. A gentle voice came from the other end, "Hello, Little Yue?"
Jiang Shiyue couldn't help but sniffle. "Mom, it's me."
Ruan Qiuhua was a little surprised. "Why the sudden call? Are you out of money?"
Ever since "Jiang Shiyue" had gone to the countryside, she hadn't even written a letter, let alone made a phone call.
If not for the fact that someone always signed for the letters they sent, she would have thought her daughter had already died in a foreign land.
"No, there's just something I want to tell you."
Probably only parents in this world would worry about whether you were eating enough, wearing enough warm clothes, and had enough money.
Even if you had broken their hearts, they would still choose to forgive you.
Taking a deep breath, she finally said, "I held a wedding banquet with someone in the countryside."
As soon as these words came out, Ruan Qiuhua's voice erupted in anger, "Jiang Shiyue, are you trying to anger me to death?"
"It was bad enough that you were willing to die to follow Liang Zeyuan to the countryside, but now you're just holding a wedding banquet whenever you please? Have you ever considered that you still have a family?"
Ruan Qiuhua was furious, patting her chest as she questioned, "Besides, that Liang Zeyuan is just a kept man. What on earth do you see in him?"
"It's not Liang Zeyuan. I don't like him anymore. The person I held the banquet with is someone else."
This took Ruan Qiuhua by surprise. After all, it wasn't as if she didn't know her own daughter's temperament.
She had nearly severed ties with her family over Liang Zeyuan before. How could she just stop liking him on a whim now? It was nothing more than an excuse she made up because she was afraid of her anger.
Knowing Ruan Qiuhua didn't believe her, Jiang Shiyue briefly explained Gu Yian's family situation. "His name is Gu Yian. His parents are researchers, but they were reported by someone with ill intentions. Now his parents are undergoing re-education in the south."
Ruan Qiuhua felt a headache coming on. "Oh, my, what a mess!"
However, compared to that kept man Liang Zeyuan, this Gu Yian sounded somewhat better.
At least his parents were researchers; his character probably wouldn't be too bad.
Afraid that Ruan Qiuhua's first impression of Gu Yian would be poor, Jiang Shiyue quickly spoke up for him. "Mom, I know this decision of mine was a bit willful. But Gu Yian is really a good person. He takes great care of me, and I willingly…"
Ruan Qiuhua on the other end of the line didn't want to speak. After all, she hadn't met the man. Who knew if this Gu Yian would be the next Liang Zeyuan?
Jiang Shiyue wasn't embarrassed either, twirling the phone cord with her fingers. "So, could you talk to Dad and ask him to issue a Letter of Introduction for me? I want to get a marriage certificate with him."
Ruan Qiuhua took a deep breath. "There's no rush to get the certificate. You've already held the banquet anyway. In the countryside, holding a banquet is pretty much the same as getting a certificate."
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Wait until your dad has some time off in a while, and have him come over to meet the man. If that Gu Yian is really as you say, your dad will issue the Letter of Introduction for you then."
Jiang Shiyue pursed her lips but didn't insist further.
After all, as parents, they certainly had their own considerations.
Besides, she had confidence in Gu Yian; he would definitely be able to pass her parents' inspection.
If it were the original owner, she would probably have thrown another tantrum upon hearing Ruan Qiuhua's words.
However, she was not the original owner and understood that Ruan Qiuhua was doing this for her own good. "Alright, then you, Dad, and my brother should take care of yourselves at home!"
Ruan Qiuhua was a little astonished, but what astonished her even more was what Jiang Shiyue said next, "Also, you don't need to send me money or Coupons anymore. I'm married now, so it's not right to use my maiden family's money."
She even began to suspect if her daughter had been swapped with someone else. This was just too abnormal; these were not words she would ever say.
Fearing Ruan Qiuhua would become suspicious, Jiang Shiyue sighed. "I know the things I did in the past hurt you all. It was all because I was young, reckless, and ignorant. I've reflected a lot during my time in the countryside and have come to understand many things."
"Mom, I want to formally apologize to you here. I hope you can forgive my past willfulness."